1. Field of the Disclosure
This disclosure generally relates to a valve assembly for automatically draining water from a watercraft.
2. Description of Related Art
From time to time, water can accumulate in the bottom of a watercraft. This may occur for any of a number of reasons, including hull leakage, water splashing into the watercraft during normal use, and rainwater falling into the watercraft either during use or storage.
In response to this problem, many watercrafts are provided with a self-bailing feature. The self-bailing feature may be implemented in a number of ways, but in one example, a portion of the watercraft (e.g., the transom or bottom) is provided with a hole or aperture commonly referred to as a self-bailing hole. The self-bailing hole is provided with valving means for allowing water to drain from the interior of the watercraft, while also preventing watering from entering the watercraft interior therethrough. Exemplary valving means are described in U.S. Pat. No. 2,772,648 to De Persia; U.S. Pat. No. 3,394,671 to Mayer; U.S. Pat. No. 4,217,846 to Wight; and U.S. Pat. No. 7,434,528 to McKibben.
A general aspect or object of the present invention is to provide an improved valve for use in combination with the self-bailing hole of a watercraft.
Another general aspect or object of the present invention is to provide an improved method for controlling fluid flow through a self-bailing hole of a watercraft.
Other aspects, objects and advantages of the present invention, including the various features used in various combinations, will be understood from the following description according to illustrative embodiments of the present invention, taken in conjunction with the drawings in which certain specific features are shown.